Machine for rotatably driving the bottom of a watch-casing or the bottom of a measuring apparatus

ABSTRACT

A MACHINE FOR SCREWING OR UNSCREWING THE BOTTOM OF A WATCH-CASING OR THE LIKE HAVING A SUPPORT FOR RECEIVING AND HOLDING THE CASING AND A BRACKET CARRYING A ROTATABLE SPINDLE DISPOSED ABOVE THE SUPPORT. THE SPINDLE IS AXIALLY MOVABLE WITH RESPECT TO THE BRACKET AND CARRIES A DRIVER FOR APPLICATION AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE CASING FOR DRIVING THE SAME ROTATABLY.

D 1971 B. FREIBURGHAUS 3,625,093

MACHINE FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING THE BOTTOM OF A WATCH-CASING OR THE BOTTOM OF A MEASURING APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4

' INVENTOR. Bernard FHE/B URGHAUS Hwy/3.

3,625,093 ggwcn-msme Dec. 7, 1971 a. FREIBURGHAUS R ROTATABLY DRIVING THE BOTTOM OF A OR THE BOTTOM OF A MEASURING APPARAT MACHINE F0 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1970 INQENTOR. Bernard FREIBURGHAUS BY @nwwd @0 5 maawm United States Patent 3,625,093 MACHINE FOR ROTATABLY DRIVING THE BOT- TOM OF A WATCH-CASING OR THE BOTTOM OF A MEASURING APPARATUS Bernard Freiburghaus, Bienne, Switzerland, assignor to Fimecor Fine Mecanique S.A., Bienne, Bern, Switzerland Filed June 23, 1970, Ser. No. 49,079 Claims priority, application Switzerland, June 30, 1969, 10,046/69 Int. Cl. G04d 3/04 US. Cl. 81-6 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for screwing or unscrewing the bottom of a watch-casing or the like having a support for receiving and holding the casing and a bracket carrying a rotatable spindle disposed above the support. The spindle is axially movable with respect to the bracket and carries a driver for application against the bottom of the casing for driving the same rotatably.

The present invention relates to a machine permitting to rotatably screw or unscrew the bottom of a watchcasing or the bottom of the casing of a measuring apparatus, comprising a support intended to receive the said casing and a bracket carrying a rotatable spindle situated above the said support, this spindle being provided with a driver exerting a pressure against the said bottom for driving it.

This machine is characterised by the fact that the said spindle is made of two portions engaged one into another, axially movable one with respect to the other, one of the said portions being provided with at least one lateral projection engaged with play into an aperture of the said other portion, the wall of the said aperture being provided with at least a face inclined with respect to the axis of the spindle in such a way that a rotable movement of one of the said portions of the spindle produces, by the action of the said extension on the said inclined face, a relative axial movement between the two portions of the spindle, during which the driver is applied against the bottom of the casing and exerts thereon a pressure which increases with the resisting moment of the bottom.

The drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the object of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine for screwing and unscrewing the bottoms of watch-casings.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of this machine, along line IIII of FIG. 4.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of this machine, along line IIIIII of FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a transversal sectional view of the machine, along line IVIV of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a detail, along line VV of FIG. 4. 1

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a detail.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are plane views of two details, and

FIG. 9 is an elevational view, with partial section, of a detail.

The machine as represented comprises a frame 1, lying on a base 2, provided with a stay 3 carrying a bracket 4.

This frame 1 carries a support 5 constituting a cup, having the shape of a hollow pyramid with square basis. The four faces of this support, intended to receive a watch-casing, non represented, are coated with a coating 6 of a material such as expansed plastic material or rubber, preventing any risk of damaging the said watch-casing.

Two of the opposed faces of the hollow pyramid constitutin-g the support 5 belong to two movable elements 3,625,093 Patented Dec. 7, 1971 7 sliding into two grooves 8 provided in a plate 9 (FIGS. 2 and 7) covering the frame 1. The two other faces of the hollow pyramid belong to two members 7 identical to the above mentioned members 7, but stationarily mounted on the frame, since they are engaged into two slits 10 of the plate 9 (FIG. 7) shorter than the sltis 8.

The two movable elements 7 move along a direction coinciding with the sectional line II--II of FIG. 4, their movements being controlled by a screw 11 provided with two portions 11a and 11b, threaded in opposite sense, passing through two nuts 12 and 13, respectively, also threaded in opposite sense, carried each by one of the movable elements 7. The screw 11, provided with a control member 14, is prevented to move axially by a pin 15a of a shaft 15 rotatably mounted on the frame 1, the purpose of which is indicated hereafter, so that while rotating this screw in one direction or the other, one produces the separation or the coming together of the two members 7, that permits to adapt the support 5 to the shape and to the dimensions of the watch-casings it has to receive.

The support is provided with four clamping dogs 16, one of which is represented in sectional View in FIG. 5, sliding in four slots 17 of the plate 9, extending diagonally with respect to the hollow pyrirnid constituted by the support. Each of these clamping dogs is traversed by a vertical rod 18 (FIG. 5) on which is engaged a sleeve of protecting material 19 preventing the watch-casings from being damaged when they are clamped by the dogs 16. The simultaneous displacements of the dogs 16, towards the center of the support or in the opposite direction, are controlled by a rotative plate 20 located in the frame 1, mounted on the shaft 15, and which is provided with four arc-shaped slits 21 (FIG. 8) each traversed by a pin 22 carried by the clamping dogs 16.

The plate 20 is loosely mounted on the shaft 15 which carries, rigidly mounted on a portion 15b, a diametral arm 50 (FIGS. 2 and 9) in the openings of which are rotatably mounted two rollers 51. These rollers bear on the lower face of the plate 20 which is provided, at its periphery, with two arc-shaped recesses 52 extending each with a recess of less depth 53 (FIG. 8). A control lever 23 passing through a lateral opening 24 provided in the frame 1 permits to rotate the shaft 15 as well as the diametral arm 50 mounted thereon. During these rotatable movements of the arm 50, the plate 20- is driven by the rollers 51 partially engaged in its arc-shaped recesses 52.

When the dogs 16- clamp a watch-casing located on the support, the resistance to the displacements offered therewith is sufficient so that the rollers 51 leave the recesses 52 and enter into the recesses 53, thereby an axial push is exerted on the plate 20 urging to displace it upwards, applying it against the peripheral portion of the stationary plate 9. It results in friction which ensures the locking of the plate 20 and, consequently, of the clamping dogs.

The bracket 4 carries a sleeve 28, adjustable in height by a tightening screw 29 which is provided with a control member 30 for locking the sleeve. This sleeve 28 is passed through by a rotatable spindle constituted with two portions 31 and 32. The portion 31 of the spindle comprises a rod 33 (FIG. 3) rotatably mounted in the bottom, designated by 2811, of the sleeve 28, and which is prevented to move axially with respect thereto. This rod 33 is rigid, owing to a transversal pin 34, with a control wheel 35.

The portion 32 of the spindle comprises a rod 36 sliding axially in a bush 37 carried by the lower extremity of the sleeve 28 and which carries, at its lower extremity, a sleeve 38. This sleeve 38 is rigid with the rod 36 owing to a transversal pin 39. It carries, at its lower extremity, a movable driver 40, which is interchangeable, coated with a coating 41 made of protective material.

The rod 36 carries, at its upper extremity, a sleeve 42 with which it is made rigid by a transversal pin 43. This sleeve 42 is provided, at its upper extremity, with two diametrally opposed grooves 44 in which engage, with play, the ends of a transversal pin 45 carried by the rod 33 of the portion 31 of the spindle. The bottom of each groove 44 is provided with two surfaces 46 (FIG. 6) inclined with respect to the axis of the spindle and which are symmetric with respect to a longitudinal plane passing by this axis and by their intersection.

A coil spring 47 urges to maintain the portion 32 of the spindle in the upper position, the bottom of the grooves 44 being then bearing against the transversal pin 45 of the portion 31 of the spindle.

Owing to this arrangement, when a rotatable movement is impelled to the wheel 35, the pin 45, driven by the rod 33, exerts on one or the other of the inclined faces 46 of the grooves 44 a pressure urging to move the portion 32 of the spindle downwards, in the direction of the support 5, thus applying the driver 40 against the bottom of the watch-casing located on the support, the pressure increasing 'with the resisting moment of the bottom. As soon as the moment exerted on the driver reaches the value of this resisting moment, the bottom is rotatably driven by the driver.

The present machine thus permits to open and to close watch-casings or casings of all measuring apparatuses the bottom of which is screwed or is mounted with a bayonet joint, the support being able to adapt itself easily to the shape and to the dimension of the casings by displacement of the movable members 7, and the casing being strongly maintained by the clamping dogs 16.

Owing to the single action of the control wheel 35, one produces the application and the axial pressure of the driver 40 against the bottom of the casing, then the driving in rotation of the driver which, by simple friction, ensures the driving in rotation of the bottom.

The machine will comprise, advantageously, several drivers of different dimensions adapting themselves to bottoms also of different dimensions.

What I claim is:

1. Machine permitting to drive rotatably the bottom of a watch-casing or of the casing of a measuring apparatus, comprising a support intended to receive the said casing and a bracket carrying a rotatable spindle situated above the said support, this spindle :being provided with a driver exerting on the said bottom, for driving it, a pressure, characterised by the fact that the said spindle is made of two portions engaged one into another, axially movable one with respect to the other, one of the said portions being provided with at least one lateral projection engaged with play into an aperture of the said other portion, the wall of the said aperture being provided with at least a face inclined with respect to the axis of the spindle in such a Way that a rotatable movement of one of the said portions of the spindle produces, by the action of the said extension on the said inclined face, a relative axial movement between the two portions of the spindle,

5 during which the driver is applied against the bottom of the casing and exerts thereon a pressure which increases with the resisting moment of the bottom.

2. Machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said aperture is provided with a second face inclined with respect to the axis of the spindle, symmetric to the first one with respect to a longitudinal plane passing by the axis of the spindle, so that the rotation of the control member produces, in one direction as well as in the other, a relative axial movement between the two portions of the spindle followed by the rotatable driving of the second portion by means of the first one.

3. Machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the fact that one of the portions of the spindle is constituted by a rod engaged into a sleeve provided on the second portion, the said sleeve being provided with two diametrically opposed apertures in which enter two extensions of the other portion of the spindle constituted by the extremities of a pin traversing diametrically the said rod.

. 4. Machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the portion of the spindle carrying the control member is rotatably mounted on the said bracket while being prevented to move axially.

5. Machine as claimed in claim 4, characterised by the fact that the portion of the spindle carrying the driver is rotatably mounted on the bracket, while being able to move axially with respect thereto, a spring urging to maintain it in an upper position in which the driver is away from the support.

6. Machine as claimed in claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said spindle is carried by a sleeve slidably mounted on the bracket so that its position can be adjustable in height.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,359,839 12/1967 Miller 81-6 FOREIGN PATENTS 966,341 3/1950 France 8l--6 193,399 1/1938 Switzerland 29-210 355,408 10/1961 Switzerland 81--6 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. V. PARKER, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

